Good work Tadpole, things are coming along. Won't be long now.

I will make my Tundra a split bowl with this method when I change to the constant speed prop. Unless someone else has stronger magic to share. I dread pulling that constant speed off every time to see if things are behaving themselves under there especially with the extra exhaust work I will do and then just to check on everything after the test flighting of it all. Just seems like a real easy fix to accessing things.

http://www.oshkosh365.org/ok365_Discuss ... picid=3744

So I was down at Pierce Aero for the restoration seminar. As far as my project, I took down my smashed up lower cowling.


I drilled off the scoop and air boxes and then spent two days stripping off all the Aerothane. It was even painted on the inside. Under the paint I found lots of bondo and removed it all as well. Then I learned how to beat out the dents and smooth the cowling up. It's not perfect, but much, much better. I knew nothing of metal work when I started this, and I can tell it takes lots of practice to get good. You can see all the swiss cheese of holes from crappy prior repairs, and the crack on the leading edge.


Then I assembled the new air scoop, repaired the air boxes, fabricated doublers and got it all match drilled and ready to rivet together. I decided to wait on riveting it up until after I check the fit of the boxes and cowl to my plane. This picture doesn't show the outer doubler I made. I might redesign it a bit, we'll see.


Now I'm home and ready to get back to work on the plane, but family comes in tomorrow for a week visit and it's still too cold overnight to do fabric work. Hope it warms up soon or I'll just have to go get a job.

Nice job on the cowl!
I've seen pictures of louvers installed in the air scoop to control oil temps, might be something to consider.
I was always messing around with tape and waxed cardboard to cover the oil cooler.

Looks like you did a great job on the cowl! How much further do you have to go do you reckon?

Skystrider wrote:Looks like you did a great job on the cowl! How much further do you have to go do you reckon?

Once the weather warms up I'm saying two months. It's pointless to go out and do fabric work during the day when it's below freezing overnight. Once my family is gone, if it's still too cold for fabric, I'm going to work on some other things that I was going to wait until after the wings were installed. Oh well.

Nice Job on the repairs... I'm currently working on a Stinson project also. I got it certified in the amateur built category though. So I'm doing some mods, like bigger rear windows, seaplane doors, o-470, and I'm debating making wing extensions, and possibly 'cessna style' flaps, or else just bigger flaps. The final goal is amphib floats. So far i've taken this

And made

Taken This fuselage

and turned it into this

and now I'm working on this wing

so far the wing looks like this

After I'm done the wing, its reassembly, for dealing with the seaplane doors, and the 'precover inspection' installing the float fittings, and then dissassembly, covering the wings and fuselage. And then off to the races. My goal is to be up and flying by spring next year. And here is a picture of the Stinson I reassembled this past spring.

Nice work guys! Kudos to you for bringing a dead bird back to life.

TP, our Stinson's will be neighbors for the next few weeks.

mountainmatt wrote:Nice work guys! Kudos to you for bringing a dead bird back to life.

TP, our Stinson's will be neighbors for the next few weeks.

Maybe I need to go our and put my new A&P to use with our IA...hehe.

Stopped by Tadploe's Project today...we borrowed a few parts while we were there......

Damn, and Nate already has one part of my plane on his...small minor part...but still...

Tadpole wrote:Damn, and Nate already has one part of my plane on his...small minor part...but still...

Nate did it, I'm innocent!

Nice bird TP. Get er done!

Good looking plane Tadpole.
Kubota, wheel scooter, trampoline.....the beer fridge must be on the other wall?

Terry wrote:Good looking plane Tadpole.
Kubota, wheel scooter, trampoline.....the beer fridge must be on the other wall?

Not my hangar.

Hey Tadpole was that you? Man that guy sure was busy as he was decending, hell I thought he was making his lunch or something.

http://www.wired.com/playbook/2010/10/m ... game-ball/

Tadpole wrote:Damn, and Nate already has one part of my plane on his...small minor part...but still...

The game is..."guess what part I took" lol put that A&P license to work

Been working on getting the plane all back together and into annual while I wait on the temps to continue warming up so I can finish fabric / paint work on the wings. Here's a couple of pics after today. I have most of the interior installed. I'm having to leave a little out on the pilot side while I work on getting a new part welded into the frame for the boarding step.

This shows the aft floorboards that I just refinished and the side / back walls installed. I assume this is how it will be most of the time I fly. No need to drag all the extra weight of carpet and seats around.


This is shortly after above...installed the rear sling seats..they are comfy. Also put in the carpet. Figure I'll start it this way as I'll be giving some rides after I get confident in the plane. Besides, I'm sure I'll be taking some trips with kids in the back to see Grandma!


Already have the carpet in the front, but didn't take a photo of it yet.

Looks good! You're right, the rear seats in the Stinson are pretty comfy, better than any other back seat I've sat in anyways.

Looking great Tadpole!

Nice. I love the 'stationwagon interior' Seeing all this work get done makes me want to work on my project. Mine's been shelved for a couple of weeks now, because the wife is making me sell the apartment and buy a house. And it looks like its going to be shelved till May when we finally move. Who would of thought that 'selling' a house would be so much work.

Had a short day out there today due to some other things going on. But I got some new mineral oil and filter on the engine, finished inspecting the exhaust and shrouds and put it all together. Cut out some more stuff around the area of the boarding step sleeve that needs to be replaced and welded in. Started grinding off the old weld and cleaning up the tubes but ran out of time.

Snapped this picture of the front of the cabin showing the panel and rest of the front interior I've put back in. Have to wait until the welding is done before I can finish up the interior and get the seats back in. I'd like to install a cigarette power plug and get my intercom hooked up for an aux music jack but those are low on the priority list.